MINI lands first unassisted car backflip

MINI and its stunt driver Guerlain Chicherit have done the impossible: executing the perfect “unassisted” backflip.

Using a heavily modified MINI Cooper Countryman, Chicherit, a French rally driver and avid skier, completed the stunt recently at a resort in Tignes, France.

The stunt qualifies for the unassisted certification because the ramp used by Chicherit was static

Skilled drivers like Rhys Millen have completed backflips in cars before (sometimes miffing the landing), but with the aid of special ramps with special moving elements to boost the car’s rotational movement necessary to complete the stunt.

For his take-off, Chicherit used a static ramp similar to those used by skiers. With the ideal ramp breakover angle in place, the 34-year-old needed only two other things to record a successful attempt: an extremely light touch with the accelerator and a MINI with a suitably buoyant suspension setup.

Chicherit is also a veteran of the X-raid Team (which wrapped up back-to-back Dakar Rally titles in January 2013 with the MINI ALL4 Racing), having made his debut for the team back in 2006.

As you’ll see in the video above, his latest stunt goes off without a hitch.